We’ve all heard how important it is to eat a diet high in roughage. Likewise, “roughaging” (spending time outdoors) is essential to our mental health. Even if it’s a settee on the porch, we need it, gotta have it. I aim to be the reason you pulled your bedding out the back door last night.

If you’re writing a book about cows, you of course get out your camera when your daughter, book designer, and recipe tester come to work in milkmaid braids. When Carol saw what we were doing, she piped up, “Hey, last night on The Voice, Christina Aguilera, as well as one of the contestants, had milkmaid braids.”

Here’s a clip of the contestant singing, then Christina (Voice judge), then our own three stars, Meg, Karina, and Saralou. Oh, and for our photo-of-the-day, former farmhand Samantha in milkmaid braids (from summer before last) after helping milk our cows.

All proceeds (minus shipping and packing) will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Here’s how:

MaryJane will post a photo of the prop and its cost here along with a few details as to its condition. The first person to call the farm and talk with Brian, 208-882-6819, becomes the new owner of a little bit of herstory. Shipping will be either USPS or UPS, our choice. No returns.